GORDON BRODIE admits times have been tough for Rhu Amateurs’ Caledonian League squad in the first few weeks of the new campaign.

But the manager says he saw a change in mentality in their latest fixture that suggests better times may be around the corner.

Rhu lost 2-0 to Alva Amateurs in their latest league clash at Ardenconnel Park on Saturday, a result that came off the back of disappointing defeats against Milton, Campsie Minerva and Stenhousemuir.

Their impressive 5-0 win away to Callander Thistle in their opening Caley fixture seems an awfully long time ago, but Brodie insists there were signs on Saturday that a corner may be being turned.

The biggest single factor in Rhu’s slow start to this campaign has been the departure of more than half of last season’s first team following a successful 2023-24 campaign against Ardenconnel.

Brodie said: “After last season’s great run in the Scottish Cup, reaching the last 32, and a decent showing in a competitive Caledonian League, there was genuine optimism surrounding the club for the upcoming season.

“We received incredible early support from a number of local businesses who showed that they thought, like the management, that good things were happening at Ardenconnel, not only on the park but off it. 

“Unfortunately an extremely tough pre season saw us lose a massive six players from our first team as they decided to leave the Rhu for new teams.

“Despite this the management continued to plan ahead and with the introduction of the newly formed under 19s team and worked hard to get ready for what is proving to be a difficult season.”

The challenge facing Rhu in 2024-25 hasn’t been made any easier by the addition of several new teams who have moved to the Caledonian League set-up from elsewhere, among them four of the top 10 ranked amateur teams in Scotland.

One of those new arrivals, St Patrick’s FP, made the short journey from Dumbarton to pick up full points from a midweek derby clash that was Rhu’s first home league game of the campaign, with the visitors winning 4-1 – a result that set the tone for the disappointing reversals that have followed.

“Against Alva on Saturday there was a change in mentality from the boys,” Brodie said, “and a togetherness that's not been there so far, and we were extremely unlucky not to take anything from the game.

“And as we move onto this weekend, our Scottish cup journey starts when we welcome Stewarton Annick from the Ayrshire Premier.

"This will be another difficult game for the boys but one we are relishing. 

“Last season saw big numbers at Ardenconnel and there was a buzz around the town that success for this club may be around the corner after a decent showing in the past few seasons. 

“This season has been difficult so far, but one thing that the boys and management promises is that we will work hard together to get that excitement and buzz back to the town and hopefully get the crowds back and bring success to this fine old amateur football club.”

Saturday’s clash at Ardenconnel gets under way at 2pm.